News 13 Journalist Apologizes for Ties to Qatari Lobbyist, Refuses to Resign
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
News 13 journalist Suliman Maswadeh will not resign after it was revealed he stayed in the home of Qatari lobbyist Jay Pootlik. Maswadeh apologized for not disclosing the relationship, calling it a mistake, but insisted it did not affect his journalistic work. He stated the friendship is personal and has never influenced his reporting decisions.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Journalist Suliman Maswadeh will not resign from News 13 despite ties to a Qatari lobbyist.
- Maswadeh apologized for not disclosing his personal relationship with lobbyist Jay Pootlik.
- He stayed for two weeks in an apartment owned by Pootlik upon arriving in Washington.
- Maswadeh stated his friendship never influenced his journalistic judgment or reporting.
- The revelations were first reported by the newspaper "Haaretz."
Journalist Suliman Maswadeh has decided not to resign from his position at News 13, despite revelations about his personal relationship with Qatari lobbyist Jay Pootlik. Maswadeh issued a formal apology for not disclosing these ties, stating on his personal "X" account, "I made a mistake. I want to apologize to the viewers and to my colleagues in the newsroom."
Maswadeh explained that Pootlik is a personal friend of many years. When he first arrived in Washington for his journalistic assignment, he stayed for two weeks in an empty apartment owned by Pootlik while he was initially settling into the city. He acknowledged this was a mistake, recognizing that as a journalist, he must maintain professional independence and avoid situations that could cast doubt on it.
Despite admitting the error, Maswadeh emphasized that his personal friendship with Pootlik never influenced his journalistic judgment, reporting decisions, or professional work. He affirmed his commitment to his journalistic integrity and to reporting the truth.
The revelations, first reported by the newspaper "Haaretz," stated that Maswadeh, who had testified in the Qatar case, stayed in Pootlik's home and even broadcast from its courtyard. News 13 had previously responded to "Haaretz" by calling the stay in his friend's empty apartment a private matter related to Maswadeh's relocation to the United States and unrelated to his work.
